


It's Only A Matter of Time

by jaybird1129



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives Needs a Hug, Echo and Fives reunion, Echo and Rex reunion, He gets one from Echo, He wants one from Echo, The Bad Batch as family, Timeline What Timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29615145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaybird1129/pseuds/jaybird1129
Summary: Echo smiled, his eyes slipping closed.
Relationships: CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo & CT-7567 | Rex, Clone Force 99 | Bad Batch & CT-21-0408 | Echo
Comments: 17
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from Hamilton!
> 
> The Major Character Death is Echo, but it all works out in the end.

Echo bit his lip to keep from screaming.

The blaster bolt had hit him in the chest, right over the handprint.

“Echo!” Hunter yelled, slicing through the commando droid.

Hunter ran over and dropped to his knees, hauling Echo’s head into his lap.

He looked at Echo, eyes surprisingly damp.

“Echo, stay with me, Tech will be here soon, you just need to hold on a bit longer ok?”

Echo was wheezing, something was trickling out of his mouth underneath his helmet.

“Tech!” Hunter screamed loudly.

The last of the droids were destroyed, Tech racing over with his medpack.

Crosshair and Wrecker not far behind.

Wrecker froze at the sight of Echo laying on the ground.

Crosshair’s eyes widened.

“Echo, hey stay with me alright? You’re gonna be fine.”

Tech’s voice sounded like it was underwater.

Echo’s chest hurt, his whole body hurt. What was left of it anyway.

A hand tapped his face and Echo blinked.

“Echo, come on Echo, stay awake alright, stay awake.”

Hunter.

Echo looked at Hunter.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Hunter froze.

“What for?”

Echo took a shaky breath, his vision going spotty.

“For giving me a new family and some more younger brothers to look after,” he forced out.

Hunter smiled weakly.

“Thank you for giving us an older brother again.”

Echo smiled, his eyes slipping closed.

They didn’t open again.

Tech’s head fell, a few tears slipping out. He lifted his goggles, wiping his eyes.

Wrecker shrunk in on himself, which was hard to do, his head bowed slightly.

Crosshair’s mouth twisted.

Hunter slowly removed Echo’s helmet, choking down a breath at the stream of blood running from Echo’s closed mouth, his pale skin cool.

They buried him, carving a 99 into the rock they placed over his grave.

They boarded the Havoc Marauder quietly, already feeling incomplete.

Echo sat up, looking around.

It was barracks?

He looked down, expecting to see bloody armor. 

His black, grey, and red armor was still intact.

No blaster marks.

The red handprint was still there.

He smiled and stood up, looking down at his arms and legs.

He frowned.

Still metal then.

He sighed and opened the door, gasping at the sight.

Brothers in brightly colored armor were there chatting with each other.

Someone noticed him and gasped.

Echo saw blonde hair and dove forwards, crashing into Rex with a half-choked cry.

Rex tightened his arms around Echo, running his hand over the buzzed black hair.

“I didn’t think I’d be seeing you so soon,” Rex whispered into his remaining ear.

Echo sighed.

“I got sniped right in the chest,” he admitted, stepping back and patting the red handprint.

Rex looked at it and softened.

Echo looked around.

“Is this Manda?” He asked.

Rex nodded.

“Come on, let’s go say hello.”

Rex led him through the impossibly large base.

“There’s something you should know,” Rex paused, “Your old squad is here, and Fives is convinced you don’t want to see him, and that’s why you weren’t here when he got here, because he thinks you hate him.”

Echo froze.

His old squad?

Fives?

“That isn’t true though sir, I’ve missed Fives everyday,” he said quietly.

Rex gave him a small smile.

“I know that, but he doesn’t. To him, you died two years ago.”

Echo was horrified.

Fives thought he didn’t want to be near him, that he blamed him for his “death”. 

That needed to be changed.

“Can I see them?”

Rex nodded and led Echo to a different part of the base, opening the door.

501st blue was everywhere.

Echo gasped.

He missed the familiar blue.

“Captain!” Someone called and Echo paled even more.

Fives came strolling up.

“Who’s this?” He asked, looking at Echo.

Rex opened his mouth but Echo beat him to it.

“I was part of Clone Force 99, Captain Rex was showing me around.”

Rex gave Echo a strange look.

Fives’ eyes widened.

“You were in the Bad Batch?” He asked excitedly.

Echo nodded.

“I thought you guys were practically un-killable, what happened?”

Echo shrugged.

“Got sniped in the chest.”

Fives looked at his chest armor and his face drained.

“What’s that?”

He was looking at the handprint.

Echo took a breath.

“It’s a handprint.”

Fives was trembling slightly.

He took a few deep breaths, shaking his head.

“Is everything alright Fives?” Echo asked.

Fives’ head snapped up.

Ah kriff, Echo realized.

“How do you know my name?” Fives narrowed his eyes.

Echo closed his eyes.

“I know your name because you insisted we call you that.”

Fives blinked, confused.

“I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?” He asked.

Echo took a deep breath and looked back at Fives.

“My name is Echo.”

Fives stumbled backwards.

“What?”

Echo looked at him, his cider eyes shining.

“My name is Echo, Hevy started calling me that because I would repeat orders and regulations constantly. We joined the 501st after the attack on the Rishi base. We defended Kamino against the Separatists, becoming ARC Troopers together,” Echo paused, his eyes filling with tears, “And I was caught in an explosion at the Citadel, taking me away from you, from the 501st, from my brothers,” he swallowed, “Fives I’m so sorry.”

Fives had frozen.

Other members of the 501st were looking at Echo in horror.

Fives looked at Rex, eyes pleading for something.

Rex nodded.

Fives looked back at Echo.

“Eyayah?” He asked wetly.

Echo nodded quickly, 

Fives let out a wounded noise.

Echo gave him a tiny smile and Fives broke.

“But why are you here now? Why didn’t you come earlier? Why are you wearing the wrong armor?” Fives half demanded.

Echo took another deep breath.

“Because until recently, I wasn’t dead.”

It was like Echo had dropped a bomb.

To be fair, he kind of did.

“What?” Fives sounded so heartbroken.

Echo looked at him, eyes shining in regret.

“I didn’t die at the Citadel Fives,” he said.

Fives shook his head.

“Yes you did, because that means I left you behind, and we never leave a brother behind, which means I left you behind and I’d never do that.”

Fives was rambling.

Rex placed a hand on Fives’ shoulder.

“I’m sorry Fives, but it’s true. Me and Clone Force 99 rescued Echo from a Techno Union facility about 7 months after you-” he closed his eyes.

Fives looked at Echo, tears welling up.

“I left you behind?” He whispered.

Echo sighed.

“I don’t see it that way Fives, you didn’t have a choice, you had to go, I would have been dead soon anyway,” he said ruefully, absentmindedly thunking his metal arm.

The slight clang had everyone’s eyes on him.

“What was that?” Someone else said.

Echo took off the glove covering and held up the droid port.

He also leaned down slightly and rapped his flesh hand over his lower legs, hearing the familiar clanks.

Rex looked down.

Fives looked broken.

“What happened to you?” He asked.

Echo snorted.

“Got used as a science experiment mostly, but a lot of things that I really don’t want to talk about.”

Fives nodded slowly and moved for another hug.

Echo obliged quickly, pulling Fives into his arm.

“I missed you Fiv’ika.”

Fives sniffled.

“I missed you too.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Because I'm not the Echo you remember, he's gone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Very Hevy Angst (I'll see myself out thank you Sam for the pun I'm stealing)
> 
> Some pretty depressing stuff is brought up here, like Echo's time with the Techno Union

“Echo?” A quiet voice asked.

Echo turned, the metal on his neck shining.

His eyes widened.

“Bait, is that you?”

Droidbait gave him a huge smile.

Echo stood up and wandered over, pulling him into a gentle hug.

“It’s so good to see you again,” Droidbait said gently.

Echo smiled.

“You too.”

Droidbait smiled sheepishly.

“It was weird, not having you here,” he admitted.

Echo titled his head.

“Why’s that?”

“Because you and Fives were the closest, always chatting and laughing. Without you, it was quiet.”

Echo softened.

“Well I’m here now, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Droidbait huffed a laugh and sat down, pressing their knees together.

Cutup was the next one to approach him.

“Hey Echo,” his accent was still there.

“Hey Cutup,” Echo replied, one of his prosthetic legs in his lap, tools spread around him.

Cutup sat on the end of the bed.

“What are you doing?” He asked after a minute.

Echo’s tongue was poking out of his mouth in concentration.

“Fixing some loose wires around my ankle it was acting up earlier.”

Cutup swallowed.

“Could you show me?”

Echo looked up with a smile and scooched over.

Hevy looked down.

Echo was lying on his bunk, reading something.

“If that’s a reg manual,” Hevy tried to joke.

Echo smirked and closed it.

“Sadly no, it was advanced mechanics.”

He sat up, patting the space next to him.

Hevy sat.

Looking at Echo, he could see so many things different.

Echo was too pale.

He had strange circular scars on his head.

His hair was practically gone.

His right arm from the elbow down had been replaced with a droid attachment and his legs were made of metal.

“Echo, what happened to you?” Hevy pleaded softly.

Echo swallowed.

“There was a mission, we had to break into the Citadel, a highly guarded Seppie prison, to rescue a Jedi. We were leaving and I ran towards the escape shuttle. But it got shot and exploded, with me right in front of it.”

Hevy’s eyes were wet.

“I wasn’t dead, but everything was burning, it hurt. I woke up with a new arm and legs, and holes in my head,” he motioned to the scars, “The Techno Union, they went through my head, pulling out memories and battle plans. I became their puppet. It was cold in the chamber, that’s all I remember, until Captain Rex busted me out of there.”

Echo didn’t expect Hevy to pull him into a tight hug.

“I should have been there Echo, I’m so sorry.”

Echo hugged back.

“It’s not your fault, nor is it Fives. Speaking of Fives, why did he think I was here? I mean I know he thought I was dead, but-” he trailed off.

Hevy sighed.

“When Fives appeared, the first thing he did was look for you. He must have looked a hundred times. But he never found you. He broke down one day, saying that you must hate him because he didn’t go back for you. We all tried to tell him that wasn’t the case, but he didn’t believe us. Echo, he was Devastated when he couldn’t find you.”

Echo shuddered.

“Eventually he just, stopped. He stopped looking. He stayed with us.

He had convinced himself that you didn’t want him, he didn’t think that you might have been alive. He was heartbroken Echo. It’s not your fault, you weren’t here, you couldn’t control his thoughts. But seeing you again? He might treat you differently. Because-”

“Because I’m not the Echo he remembers,” Echo finished.

Hevy nodded sadly.

“I am glad to see you Echo, I missed you.”

Echo smiled.

“I missed you too, ori’vod, I missed you all.”

Echo tried to avoid Fives.

He wasn’t the same Echo he remembered.

He wanted to respect that.

Fives cornered him in the small room he chose for himself, away from the others.

“Why are you avoiding me?” He asked, annoyed.

Echo shrunk back, not meeting his eyes.

Fives froze.

“Echo?”

Echo shrunk back even more.

Fives stepped away, eyes wide.

Echo curled against the wall, eyes screwed shut.

“I’m sorry,” he choked out, “I’m sorry I’m not the right Echo.”

Fives was stunned.

He sat down, crossing his legs.

“How can you be the wrong Echo?”

Echo shivered, the metal on his back was cold.

“I’m not the Echo you remember, he’s gone.”

Fives was stunned.

“What? No, you’re still my Echo, why would you think that?”

Echo swallowed, his throat bobbing.

“Because you thought I hated you enough to leave,” he whispered.

Fives crumpled.

Oh no.

“Echo, no, I-” Fives looked down, ashamed.

“I never hated you.”

Echo’s head shot up, his eyes filled with tears.

“I hated myself,” Fives said, “I hated myself for leaving you there, not going back for you. I hated myself for not looking for you. I hated myself because you didn’t deserve to be around me.”

Echo’s body trembled.

Fives inched forwards.

“I’m sorry Echo, I’m sorry for not looking for you, I’m sorry for leaving you there alone, for letting Tambor,” he snarled the name, “get to you, I’m sorry.”

Echo shot forward, crashing into Fives.

He was shaking.

Fives pulled him close, rubbing his hands along Echo’s back, being mindful of the implants he now knew went down his spine.

“Please forgive me?” Fives asked.

Echo nodded, still half in Fives’ lap and arms.

“Stay,” he whispered.

Fives leaned back against the wall, reaching for Echo’s blanket and his pillow.

He maneuvered Echo’s head onto the pillow, still in his lap, and tucked him under the blanket.

Echo fell asleep, both his robotic and flesh arms around Fives’ waist, his head curled inwards.

Fives had a hand resting on Echo’s back, feeling the gentle rise and fall.

He took a shaky breath in.

Echo thought he hated him.

Fives sighed.

He could see why.

Echo wasn’t there when Fives woke up, he must have been elsewhere. But he wasn’t anywhere, so he must be where Fives wasn’t.

He didn’t even think to consider that Echo was still alive.

And now that Echo Was here, he wasn’t the same.

Something terrible had happened to him, and he was different.

Echo thought Fives hated that he wasn’t the same.

Fives took another shaky breath and pulled Echo a bit closer.

He didn’t care that Echo was different.

It’s Echo.

And Fives will always want him.

Echo shifted, burrowing closer into Fives.

Fives was asleep, head against the wall, eyes closed.

Fives was warm, Echo’s brain supplied.

Warm meant safe.

The chamber was cold.

But he wasn’t cold anymore.

Fives’ hand twitched against his back and pulled him even closer.

They used to sleep like this, back on the Rishi base.

Hevy peeked his head into Echo’s room and softened.

He and Fives were asleep, curled up against the wall and each other.

Hevy padded back into the main room and made a few hand signals.

Droidbait shot up with a smile, grabbing his own pillow and blanket.

Cutup’s mouth twitched upwards and he grabbed his also.

Hevy grabbed his, walking back into the room.

Cutup put his pillow down close to Fives.

Droidbait shuffled next to Cutup, putting his pillow down where Cutup’s stomach would be.

Hevy smirked and put his pillow down closer to Echo.

Blankets were shuffled, and quiet whispers filled the air.

It was only a matter of time before Domino Squad was together again after all.

**Author's Note:**

> For Sam <3


End file.
